2008 documentaries

Man on wire

Here we watch the tremendous Man on Wire documentary. A documentation of Philippe Petit's life leading up to his daring attempt to walk between the two world trade centre buildings in 1974. This is what many say to be "the most artistic crime of the century". The Man on[...]

When We Left Earth - Mercury: Ordinary Supermen

SpaceScience Presenter Gary Sinise 2008 Unrated

The first documentary in a series of documentaries exploring mans mission to explore space. Mercury: Ordinary Supermen explores the early days of the american space program dubbed Mercury as well as other pioneering research such as the X-15 which was a high speed rocket powered aircraft w[...]

When We Left Earth: Friends and Rivals

Friends and rivals explores project Gemini  the second American human spaceflight program. this featured the first American spacewalk Ed White, Gemini 4 astronaught. This documentary also explores the first space rendezvous with Gemini 6 and 7 as well as the first[...]

When we left earth - Landing the Eagle

In this documentary we explore the Apollo space program which is probably the most well know around the world due to it featuring the historic landing of apollo 11 on the surface of the moon. To get to the moon took a tremendous amount of effort from engine testing to tragic Apollo 1 fire. When w[...]

When we left earth - The Explorers

When we left the earth - the explorers, focuses on the Apollo project after the history landing on the moon by Apollo 11. Apollos 12, 14,15, 16, and 17, as well as the somewhat success of Apollo 13 which was depicted in the 1997 hollywood movie are all looked at in this documentary as well as the sk[...]

When we left the earth - Home in Space

ScienceSpace Presenter Gary Sinise 2008 Unrated

When we left the earth - Home in Space takes a look at some of the more recent (as of 2008) missions into space, such as repair work on the Hubble Space Telescope, and launch, assembly, and construction of the International Space Station. In this documentary we see appearances from a number of diffe[...]

Food, Inc.

Food, Inc. Explores something which every human needs to live: Food. Most of us probably do not even think about where are food comes from or where its produced. This documentary explores exactly where our food comes from (in America) with a focus on the fast food industry. The documentary explores[...]

Under Our Skin

Under the skin looks into where to the american health care system has failed to recognise and treat people who have been infected with chronic lyme disease. Some of the large medical organisations don't even acknowledge lyme disease at all despite it leaving victims with terrible debilitat[...]

The Universe: Dark Matter

Did you know that we can only see around 4% of the universe? Since the observable universe spans a distance of more than 93 billion light years it really does make you wonder where the other 96% is. This documentary helps to spread light on this cunning question which is being worked on by scie[...]

Anvil: The Story of Anvil

Anvil: The Story of Anvil: You’ve almost certainly never heard of Anvil, and yet they are known as one of the most influential metal bands of their generation, without ever gaining commercial success. Dubbed the “demi-gods of Canadian metal”, Anvil has gained a cult following[...]

The Mystery of the Mary Celeste: revealed

The Mary Celeste was an American merchant ship which was found deserted in the Atlantic ocean close to the Portuguese Azores islands in 1872. The ghost ship has remained one of the biggest mysteries at sea for more than a century as the ship was found in a perfectly seaworthy condition yet the crew[...]

Are We Alone in the Universe?

The search for life on other worlds has been enduring for more than 50 years; fore fronted by SETI and Dr Frank Drake. The chance of life existing on other worlds is something that seems almost to be certain as there are billions of planets in our galaxy alone and there are billions of galaxies[...]

Zeitgeist: Addendum

Zeitgeist: Addendum, a 2008 documentary by filmmaker Peter Joseph examining examples of economic subjugation and the need to change socioeconomic paradigms.   The documentary attempts to uncover the root causes of social corruption around the world. The idea of social corruption is often[...]

What on Earth is Wrong with Gravity?

From the swamps of Louisiana to the deserts of Arizona Brian Cox is looking for what the big problem with Gravity is. What is that problem? Well none of it really makes any sense in the grand scheme of things. Sure for the solar system it would seem that gravity is one of the major reasons why all o[...]

Star on Earth

The stats of our own sun at the center of the solar system are simply astonishing. You could fit a million Earths inside of it. It contains 99.86% of the entire mass of the solar system which means it has a mass of around 330,000 times that of earth. Earth seems massive from our perspectiv[...]

Lost Horizons The Big Bang

In this documentary Jim Al Khalili takes us back through 50 years of BBC archive footage to document the history of two competing theories for the beginning of the Universe. However only one of the theories said that the universe “started”; the big bang theory, the name of[...]

The World According to Monsanto

The world according to Monsanto: In this documentary, we look into the world of the largest global company of agricultural products which includes the production of pesticides and drugs for animals. They also have been working extensively on producing modified crops such as corn and&n[...]

Naked Science: Time Machine

Science Presenter Jimmy Hibbert 2008
2

Naked Science: Time Machine: When scientists talk about time travel they don't talk about “time machines” as such, rather the ideas and principals that make time travel possible. In this documentary, we hear some radical ideas about time travel from leading scientists from aroun[...]

Journey to the Edge of the Universe

A documentary that takes us on a Journey to the edge of the universe. The movie starts not far from where you are now; at the edge of the Earths atmosphere which is about an hours drive away. From then on its a journey which covers millions of miles to the planet Venus, then onto Mercury which is th[...]

The Universe: Deep Space Disasters

Deep Space disasters are going to be a part of the real world in the next 50 years. Traditionally it is known that the most dangerous parts of a space mission is within the first 50 miles and the last 50, where an important vessel is placed upon a volatile mixture of oxygen and liquid hydrogen and p[...]

The Brain That Changes Itself

The Brain That Changes Itself documentary focuses on recent advancement in the science of “Neuroplasticity” which is a concept that allows to greater understand how the brain adapts itself. Traditionally it has always been thought that the human Brian is incapable of repairing itself and[...]

The Universe: The Biggest Things in Space

SpaceScience Presenter Erik Thompson 2008 Unrated

The universe is so big that it troubles one's mind to even think about it, but the objects within the universe are equally as astonishing. The Earth seems like a pretty big place however it is merely a spec of dust compared to the largest objects and structures in the universe, the closest objec[...]

Cheetah: Against All Odds

Cheetah Documentary. Cheetahs are found in Sub-Saharan Africa and Northern Iran, they are the fastest animal on Earth and can reach speeds of around 65mph on flat ground. Since they are the fastest animal on Earth they have an incredible advantage against their prey which usually consists of ga[...]

Arctic Dinosaurs

Arctic Dinosaurs: Entering another dinosaur era, this documentary looks at the dinosaurs that survived in frigid, ice regions and asks the question—how did some dinosaurs survive in such drastic conditions? NOVA searches the Alaskan slopes for fossils and clues. Palaeontologists risk their liv[...]

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (preview)

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, is a 2008 Gonzo Journalism documentary biography of Hunter S. Thompson. Hunter Stockton Thompson (July 18, 1937 – February 20, 2005) was an American Journalist who was born in Louisville Kentucky and has been credited as the originator of Gon[...]

Bigger Stronger Faster*

DrugsSociety Presenter Christopher Bell 2008 Unrated

  Bigger Stronger Faster* is a documentary directed by Chris Bell which tells the story of Anabolic steroid use in the United States. There are many reasons for why people use steroids but probably the most popular is in training “to get bigger” or compete in male fitness competi[...]

Supermen of Malegaon

Supermen of Malegaon is a 2008 documentary film directed by Faiza Ahmad Khan.   Filmmaking is about passion first, technique and technology second, and this lovely film underlines just that. Terrible working conditions and relative poverty isn’t about to wipe the smile from one[...]

The Making of Fallout 3

GamingTechnology Presenter Bethesda 2008 Unrated

A documentary exploring the making of the third installment of the insanely popular apocalyptic strategy game series Fallout. The Making of Fallout 3 features behind the scenes footage, concept art and was only made available to people who had purchased the collectors edition of the game.[...]

Face to Face a Plastic Surgery Story - Real Stories

English actress Leslie Ash famous for starring in the BBC sitcom Men Behaving Badly presents a documentary about plastic surgery, exploring it’s benefits, problems and pitfalls in a largely unregulated industry.   As a poster girl and comedy actress her image in the public eye is im[...]

Waveriders - Surfing

Sport Presenter Cillian Murphy 2008 Unrated

There have been a million surfing documentary films about wave riders in Hawaii and other parts of the US. The 2008 documentary Waveriders directed by Joel Conroy tells the largely untold story of big wave surfing in Ireland, which ironically will lead us around the world to places like Califor[...]

Britney Spears For The Record

  A 2008 film about the American singer Britney Spears following her return to the recording industry. The documentary directed by Phil Griffin was recorded in Beverly Hills and New York, following the idol through intimate moments in her life which have been published in the media[...]

Shroud of Turin

  The Shroud of Turin is a medieval linen cloth which bears an image of a man. For centuries Christians have believed that this man is, in fact, the Jesus of Nazareth and was wrapped around his body after he was crucified. This Shroud of Turin documentary presented by Rageh Om[...]

RiP: A Remix Manifesto

Music Presenter Brett Gaylor 2008 Unrated

Synopsis from https://vimeo.com/8040182 Immerse yourself in the energetic, innovative and potentially illegal world of mash-up media with RiP: A Remix Manifesto. Let web activist Brett Gaylor and musician Greg Gillis, better known as Girl Talk, serve as your digital tour guides on a probin[...]

Flow: For The Love Of Water

  Irena Salina presents a documentary about the corporate take-over of water. Water is a free natural resource that every human on Earth needs in order to survive; that goes without saying. A worrying trend, especially in third and developing worlds is that this resource is be[...]

The Universe - Sex in Space

  The Universe - Sex in Space episode narrated by Erik Thompson discusses procreation in space, something humans must encounter if we are going to leave earth and explore the cosmos. How will people get pregnant in space? Could there be any complications due to the low gravity? And have any[...]

Secrets of Body Language

  One can imagine that when communicating in person your words alone would cover 99% of what you are saying.   The "Secrets of Body Language" documentary turns this notion on its head and shows that a huge part of your mutual understanding with other people is actually c[...]

The Perfect Vagina

The Perfect Vagina: British actress Lisa Rogers investigates "the perfect vagina" in this 2008 documentary. There is a growing trend in the UK around the modification of the vagina so that is considered to be more aesthetically pleasing involving a type of surgery called labiaplasty. [...]

Cracking the Maya Code

In the Cracking the Maya code documentary NOVA investigates breakthrough discoveries in ancient Mayan artefacts.   For decades people have tried to get a better understanding of the ancient Mayan monuments and hieroglyphs in central American Mexica but never found much success. For t[...]

Commando: On The Front Line

Commando: On The Front Line, is a 2014 military documentary series directed by Chris Terril for ITV.    Chris spends 12 months with new recruits for the Royal Marine Commandos as they go through a hellish 32-week training course which notoriously known to be the most challenging in t[...]

Food Matters

The 2008 documentary Food Matters, directed by James Colquhoun, Carlo Ledesma examines how the nutritional value of the food we eat can have positive and negative impacts on our health. Using opinions of doctors, journalists and nutritionists the film explores nutritional therapy, organic food an[...]

Garbage Island

Environment Presenter Thomas Morton 2008 Unrated

  The 2008 Garbage Island documentary was created by Thomas Morton for Viceland and is about an enormous pile of garbage floating in the Pacific ocean.   It's hard to imagine an island of garbage the size of Texas just out there in the middle of the ocean, which is why the tea[...]

Barely Dead: The Saga of Modern Rollerblading

  Barely Dead: The Saga of Modern Rollerblading explores the history of blading from it's Victorian roots right to the present day.   Cinematographer Doug Urquhart spent years putting this documentary together and raising funds to make it happen. The film chronicles how the no[...]

The Business of Being Born

The 2008 Business of Being Born documentary explores the contemporary experience of childbirth while criticizing the American healthcare system which has an emphasis on medicine.   Abby Epstein, the film's director is known for a number of documentaries related to this subject. The ma[...]

Beautiful Losers

Art Presenter Aaron Rose 2008 Unrated

Beautiful Losers, a 2008 art and music documentary co-directed by Aaron Rose, Joshua Leonard which follows a group of "do it yourself" street artists who affected the entire world of art.   The film documents a group of creative people who in the 1990's took ideas from the G[...]

102 Minutes That Changed America

102 Minutes That Changed America, a disturbing feature-length documentary about the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.   The film uses archive footage in its entirety, pieced together to provide a chronological account of the 102 minutes between the first plane h[...]

The Real Bonnie and Clyde a Timewatch Guide

  The Real Bonnie and Clyde a Timewatch Guide, tells the true story of this outlaw couple who captured the imagination of the United States for evading the cops.   Bonnie and Clyde became legends after they were killed in a barrage of bullets by police. Their story has been glamor[...]

Let's Make Money

  In the way which banks operate these days is certainly a lot of difference from when the idea of them was first conjured. The original idea was for the bank to be a trusted place to store gold and other valuable items. Today's money is just numbers on a screen, numbers which your bank[...]

Crips and Bloods: Made in America

Crime Presenter Forest Whitaker 2008
1

  Crips and Bloods: Made in America explores how the Crips and Bloods gangs arose in the United States and their bloody aftermath, which resulted in the deaths of at least 15,000 people. The film pays close attention to what made people what to join a violent gang and how the authorities res[...]

The End of Poverty?

Society Presenter Martin Sheen 2008 Unrated

  The End of Poverty?, a 2008 documentary based on the book "The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time" by Jeffrey Sachs in which he makes the argument that extreme poverty can be eradicated by 2025.   With narration from American actor, Martin Sheen (Apoca[...]

The Price of Pleasure: Pornography, Sexuality & Relationships

  The Price of Pleasure: Pornography, Sexuality & Relationships, 2008 documentary about the huge role that pornography plays in American popular culture.

Vietnam: American Holocaust

When the North of Vietnam voted for a new communist styled regime during the 1950's, it marked a beginning of one of the most bloody times in history that the world has seen.   Vietnam: American Holocaust, investigates America's involvement in the Vietnam war with narration from A[...]

Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World

Microsoft is one of the most insanely successful companies ever and at the heart of it was Bill Gates. In this 2008 documentary British journalist and broadcaster Fiona Bruce is given rare and exclusive access to the software guru and business magnate as he prepares to step down as CEO of the compan[...]

It Might Get Loud

It Might Get Loud, a 2008 documentary by American filmmaker Davis Guggenheim (producer of Training Day) profiling the recording and playing styles of several prominent rock musicians.   The film predominantly features rock guitarists, Jack White (The White Stripes), Jimmy Page (Led Zeppli[...]

World War II Behind Closed Doors: Stalin, the Nazis and the West

World War II Behind Closed Doors: Stalin, the Nazis and the West, a six-part documentary narrated by British actor Samuel West which looks into the Soviet-German relations around the time of World War 2.   The film, which was created by historian Laurence Rees and writer Andrew Williams f[...]

Addicted to Plastic

Environment Presenter Ian Connacher 2008 Unrated

Addicted to Plastic, a 2008 environmental documentary by Canadian filmmaker Ian Connacher exploring modern societies prolific use of plastic and the devastation it causes to the natural world.   The film took three years to make and takes us around the world and shows the audience first h[...]

Aftermath Population Zero

Aftermath Population Zero, a dark documentary depicting the end of humanity and what the planet will look like after there are no humans left.   Of course, this documentary seems largely like speculation, though it is based on facts and features a number of scientists. Those featured spec[...]

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

CrimeBiography Presenter Kurt Kuenne 2008 Unrated

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, a 2008 biographical crime documentary created single-handedly by American filmmaker Kurt Kuenne.   The film is a story about Andrew Bagby, a childhood friend of Kuenne's who was murdered in 2001. The main suspect was Bagby's ex-gir[...]

Atom

Atom, a three-part documentary series by British physics professor Jim Al-Khalili telling the story of how we came to realise that everything was made from atoms.   As scientists discovered more and more about the atom, the stranger and stranger the very nature of reality appeared to be.[...]

I.O.U.S.A

I.O.U.S.A. a 2008 political and economics documentary examining the history of US Federal debt level relative to gross domestic product (GDP), a figure that has reached frightening highs in the last decade.   Of course, the US has been in debt for almost all its history. In[...]

The Porn Diaries

The Porn Diaries (also known as 9 to 5: Days in Porn) is a 2008 documentary by cinematographer Jens Hoffmann following people behind the controversial "Adult Entertainment Industry".   Following some of the biggest names in the adult industry, this documentary provides a unique[...]

Religulous

Society Presenter Bill Maher 2008
23

The 2008 Religulous documentary by American comedian and political commentator Bill Maher takes a look at the state of religion around the world.   Maher grew up in a religious family as his mother is Jewish and his father Catholic. Despite growing up with Catholicism he is very sceptical[...]

The Hobbit Enigma

The 2008 "The Hobbit Enigma" documentary by Simon Nasht and Annamaria Talas investigates the possibility of a new species of human having been found.   This remarkable possibility stems from the discovery of a human-like skeleton on the Indonesian island of Flores in 2003. The t[...]

Amy Winehouse: The Girl Done Good

BiographyMusic Presenter Amy Winehouse 2008 Unrated

The Girl Done Good is a feature-length 2008 documentary about the life and career, up to that point, of singer Amy Winehouse. It features contributions from various people around her, including her father Mitch Winehouse, as well as music journalists, friends, and fellow musicians, and uses archive[...]

Cocaine Cowboys 2

Cocaine Cowboys 2 is, as the title suggests, the 2008 sequel to the critically acclaimed 2006 documentary Cocaine Cowboys. If you haven’t watched the first documentary then you really should, and it is probably necessary to watch it first due to the background that it gives on the activities o[...]

The Four-Winged Dinosaur

A 2008 documentary about a Chinese palaeontologist who discovered the fossil of a four-winged dinosaur in 2o02 and subsequently claimed that the species is the link between dinosaurs and birds, but the claim was controversial and many other experts in his field disagreed with the link. Opposing side[...]

The Truth According To Wikipedia

The Truth According To Wikipedia documentary takes a look into the workings of "the people's encyclopedia", wikipiedia.org. This site is one of the top 10 most visited places on the internet. It is used by millions of people every day to get information on an unimaginable array of diff[...]

The Universe Season 2

The Universe Season 2 is a series of educational science documentary films made in 2007.   The aim of the show is to answer popular scientific questions about the nature of the universe from the nature of black holes to solar systems, even the beginning of our reality. To explain the[...]